The present invention relates to re-enterable splicers and more particularly to re-enterable splicers for use in terminating to a separable interface that accommodates multiple fibers.
A re-enterable fiber optic splice having complementary clam-shell halves joined on one side is known. An example of such a splice is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,456 in which the two complementary halves have a fiber-receiving channel for retaining a fiber and an aperture into which a tool may be inserted. The complementary halves function as a double cantilever spring clamp to hold the fiber in the fiber-receiving channel. The double cantilever spring permits installation of the fiber when the tool inserted in the aperture is used to overcome the clamping force of the spring clamps to slightly enlarge the diameter of the fiber-receiving channel. A re-enterable fiber optic splice for a dual fiber and multiple fiber ribbon using a similar tool for fiber installation is also known from U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,440,657 and 5,450,517.
The duplex fiber optic splice finds applications in the data communications area for premise wiring and fiber to the desk. For each communications device, for example a computer, there is one fiber for incoming data transfer and one fiber for outgoing data transfer. As users have come to expect, when networking a communications device, one plugs into a mating wall outlet or patch panel, a connector attached to a cable coming from the computer. The duplex configuration, therefore, is a logical grouping for a single reusable connection to a data communications device. Advantageously, known duplex fiber optic splices provide a re-enterable fiber optic termination with acceptable interconnection performance. Disadvantageously, the splices may be awkward to terminate because the fibers are not independently actuated. There is a need, therefore, for independently actuated fibers in a duplex splice.
As most buildings currently have copper based wiring and existing wall outlets and patch panels, it is desirable that a fiber optic termination device permit retrofitting of existing copper based connectors with fiber optic connectors. It is further desirable that installations require a minimum of time, effort, and likelihood of installation error. In order to address some of these needs, there is known a splice element having a mating connector at one end and the splicing termination at the other. Such a splicer-connector is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,367,594 for a simplex or single fiber connection in which a fiber stub is terminated in a ferrule. The ferrule is operatively associated with a coupling member capable of separable interconnection with a mating connector. The fiber stub is received within the splice assembly for splicing to a bare fiber. Advantageously, the splicer-connector that is disclosed in the ""594 patent produces an optical fiber apparatus having a separable interface, wherein the optical fiber apparatus can be mechanically terminated in the field by a cleaved and unpolished fiber. The disclosed splicer-connector accommodates a single fiber providing a separable interconnection with a single filter ferrule. There remains a need, however, for a mechanically terminated optical fiber connector that provides a separable interconnection with a fiber array ferrule.
It is an object of a fiber optic connector according to the teachings of the present invention that a mechanically terminated separable interconnection can be made to a fiber array ferrule.
It is an object of a fiber optic splice according to the teachings of the present invention that a fiber optic connector has a matable interface and can be installed with a minimum amount of time and effort and likelihood of error.
A fiber optic splice element comprises a fiber-receiving element having opposite faces, first and second ends, and first and second sides. Each face has at least one elongate fiber channel extending from the first end to the second end. Each face also has an elongate bearing channel extending from the first side. The splice element also comprises a clamping element having a clamping face and a spring face opposite each other and first and second sides. The clamping element covers at least a portion of each elongate channel. The splice further comprises a splice spring for imparting opposing normal forces on the spring faces of the clamping elements and along the first side of the fiber-receiving element. The spring permits independent resilient disengagement of each clamping face from the fiber-receiving element face.
It is a feature of a fiber optic splice according to the teachings of the present invention that a multiple fiber splice has independent fiber actuation.
It is an advantage of a splice according to the teachings of the present invention that a duplex configuration has independently actuated fibers.